Post by kitsune ! on Jul 17, 2010 19:45:29 GMT -5
Once upon a lullaby, there was a new trouble in the world. The creations of the Eldest Birds, the 'wolf,' had developed a brutal streak that they hadn't predicted. Packs would attack others over petty squabbles or to steal their land. Mother turned against pup, father against son, brother against brother. It was a cruel and lawless time.
Again the leader of each flock was summoned to the eternally silent Owl's mountain to find a solution to their creation's sins. The envious songbirds claimed that stealing the wolves' howl would make them realize their cruelty. The vicious shrike wanted to tear their eyes out so that they could no longer see each other to do harm. The maternal quail wished to kidnap the pups so that they could be taught right instead of wrong. The coldhearted hawk suggested that they did away with the world all together and started from scratch to build a new paradise.
As they argued and debated, though, trouble was brewing on the earth below. The fearsome and powerful alpha Nex, whose shadow was the wily she-demon Casses, had dark and secret schemes to take control of the territories. He and Casses plotted and planned, though their usefulness was limited because her paws were sewed to his. Together they found a witch deep in the Orchid Bog who worked wicked magic and sundered Casses from Nex. Nex returned to his pack at night, but would no longer appear during the day or when the moon was full, fearful that they would discover his secret - who had ever heard of a wolf without a shadow?
And high above in the cliffs, the birds squabbled and couldn't make their decision. Owl watched their argument from his typical perch, never moving or blinking or giving any sign of life.
Casses slipped across the land one noon, hiding in pools of shadow whenever wandering bands came near. Soon she had made it across the territory and, unseen, killed a rival alpha's shadow. When her companion perished, the alpha did as well. Victorious, Casses slid across the hills and forests again to tell Nex of the news. After several nights of practicing, the devilish pair learned how to mimic each other's movements so that none would know they had been separated.
Finally, though, the birds came to a conclusion: Eagle, who had always been seen as the wolves' creator, would speak to each of the six packs and reconcile them with each other. He flew down from the mountainside and came upon the pack of Pheasant's Crown in the middle of the hunt and began to shriek his displeasures at them. Many stopped hunting immediately, terrified and repentant, but Nex and Casses paid no heed to the fearsome avian. As Casses lept to slay a doe's shadow, Nex summoned up his stength and leapt as well, striking Eagle from the sky. Wounded terribly, Eagle fell into the loam and surely would have been destroyed in the stampede if not for a stag's spontaneous kindness. The deer ducked his head and tossed Eagle up into his antlers, carrying the crippled ancestor away to safety. When they made it to fields uninhabited by wolves, the herd of deer gently nursed Eagle back to health; the one that had first saved him had a pregnant mate, and when she gave birth Eagle granted his gift in thanks. He gave the fawn spots to hide it in the forest and large ears with which to hear predators.
Meanwhile, though, the council of birds up on Owl's mountain were terrified to see that Nex and Casses had been bold enough to attack one of them. They were paralyzed with indecision and fear.
And then Owl, who had always been as still and unmoving as his home, spread his wings and took flight that night. He interrupted the wolves' nightly song with a single sound, a single hoot that finally granted his gift, if it could be called that, to Eagle's creations.
He gave them a second shadow in their heart called a 'conscience.'
The feuds that had wracked the packs for generations suddenly seemed insignificant. The horrified wolves ceased their fighting and mourned their sins. Murderers, assassins, and spies migrated to Aokigahara Forest and took their own lives; that is why that land is haunted by malignant spirits. Shadows, bitterly ashamed of their own part in the wars, howled until their voices were hoarse and they became silent forever more.
Nex and Casses, however, were untouched by Owl's curse, but they had their own comeuppance. Once their pack learned of what they had done, the devious pair were chased into the Orchid Bog and never seen again. They bred with other wolves who had not heard their consciences, and together these accursed creatures gave birth to a new breed: the aleybruj.
Owl returned to his perch, never again to stir and intervene, and the world's morning passed into noon.
Again the leader of each flock was summoned to the eternally silent Owl's mountain to find a solution to their creation's sins. The envious songbirds claimed that stealing the wolves' howl would make them realize their cruelty. The vicious shrike wanted to tear their eyes out so that they could no longer see each other to do harm. The maternal quail wished to kidnap the pups so that they could be taught right instead of wrong. The coldhearted hawk suggested that they did away with the world all together and started from scratch to build a new paradise.
As they argued and debated, though, trouble was brewing on the earth below. The fearsome and powerful alpha Nex, whose shadow was the wily she-demon Casses, had dark and secret schemes to take control of the territories. He and Casses plotted and planned, though their usefulness was limited because her paws were sewed to his. Together they found a witch deep in the Orchid Bog who worked wicked magic and sundered Casses from Nex. Nex returned to his pack at night, but would no longer appear during the day or when the moon was full, fearful that they would discover his secret - who had ever heard of a wolf without a shadow?
And high above in the cliffs, the birds squabbled and couldn't make their decision. Owl watched their argument from his typical perch, never moving or blinking or giving any sign of life.
Casses slipped across the land one noon, hiding in pools of shadow whenever wandering bands came near. Soon she had made it across the territory and, unseen, killed a rival alpha's shadow. When her companion perished, the alpha did as well. Victorious, Casses slid across the hills and forests again to tell Nex of the news. After several nights of practicing, the devilish pair learned how to mimic each other's movements so that none would know they had been separated.
Finally, though, the birds came to a conclusion: Eagle, who had always been seen as the wolves' creator, would speak to each of the six packs and reconcile them with each other. He flew down from the mountainside and came upon the pack of Pheasant's Crown in the middle of the hunt and began to shriek his displeasures at them. Many stopped hunting immediately, terrified and repentant, but Nex and Casses paid no heed to the fearsome avian. As Casses lept to slay a doe's shadow, Nex summoned up his stength and leapt as well, striking Eagle from the sky. Wounded terribly, Eagle fell into the loam and surely would have been destroyed in the stampede if not for a stag's spontaneous kindness. The deer ducked his head and tossed Eagle up into his antlers, carrying the crippled ancestor away to safety. When they made it to fields uninhabited by wolves, the herd of deer gently nursed Eagle back to health; the one that had first saved him had a pregnant mate, and when she gave birth Eagle granted his gift in thanks. He gave the fawn spots to hide it in the forest and large ears with which to hear predators.
Meanwhile, though, the council of birds up on Owl's mountain were terrified to see that Nex and Casses had been bold enough to attack one of them. They were paralyzed with indecision and fear.
And then Owl, who had always been as still and unmoving as his home, spread his wings and took flight that night. He interrupted the wolves' nightly song with a single sound, a single hoot that finally granted his gift, if it could be called that, to Eagle's creations.
He gave them a second shadow in their heart called a 'conscience.'
The feuds that had wracked the packs for generations suddenly seemed insignificant. The horrified wolves ceased their fighting and mourned their sins. Murderers, assassins, and spies migrated to Aokigahara Forest and took their own lives; that is why that land is haunted by malignant spirits. Shadows, bitterly ashamed of their own part in the wars, howled until their voices were hoarse and they became silent forever more.
Nex and Casses, however, were untouched by Owl's curse, but they had their own comeuppance. Once their pack learned of what they had done, the devious pair were chased into the Orchid Bog and never seen again. They bred with other wolves who had not heard their consciences, and together these accursed creatures gave birth to a new breed: the aleybruj.
Owl returned to his perch, never again to stir and intervene, and the world's morning passed into noon.
